2018 Orin Swift ‘Papillon’ Napa Valley

WA94 Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Bordeaux Blend Papillon springs from the glass with plum preserves, baked blackcurrants and black mulberries with touches of menthol, tobacco leaf and pencil lead. Full-bodied, the palate has a firm texture of ripe, grainy tannins with a lively line and a long earthy finish.

Estate Notes: French for “butterfly,” Papillon is our interpretation of a Bordeaux blend. Composed of all five Bordeaux varieties, Papillon is our Cabernet based red wine. The goal was to make a stand-alone wine that incorporates all the majesty of Cabernet Sauvignon with the subtleties of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, and the power of Petit Verdot and Malbec. Fittingly, we commissioned two of the top in their respective trades for the label; hand model, Vince Tofanelli is a third generation grape grower as well as friend, and famed photographer Greg Gorman, who snapped the image.
 
Powerful aromatics escape the glass with rich notes of ripe blackcurrant, blackberry, peppercorn and a touch of chaparral supported by a frame of sweet oak. Intensely layered and decadent on entry, the wine exudes characteristics of black plum, boysenberry, kirsch and dark chocolate with a silky soft yet weighty texture. A prolonged finish of Provençal lavender, fig leaf and ripe currants close out the wine.